


If Only For You

by IndigoSyr



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Adorable Papyrus (Undertale), Also Gaster is good Dadster, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Good W. D. Gaster, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Going to Hell, Maybe - Freeform, Mettaton (Undertale) Being an Asshole, Overprotective Sans (Undertale), Parent Asgore Dreemurr, Parent Toriel (Undertale), Platonic Cuddling, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route Kind Of, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader-Insert, References to Depression, Sans (Undertale) Needs a Hug, Sans doesn't like you at first, Sans isn't mean or anything, Shipper Alphys (Undertale), Sleepy Cuddles, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Undyne (Undertale) Swears, W. D. Gaster Needs a Hug, and Mettaton isn't really that bad, and soulmates are a thing, because yeah, but he's really bad at feelings, but that's ok, but we'll get to that, he just starts out not trusting you, he'll get there, maybe not, painfully slow burn, potential smut, we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-07-16 13:56:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16087505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoSyr/pseuds/IndigoSyr
Summary: "Are we there yet? Where exactly are you taking me?""you'll see.""Can you at least stop covering my eyes? I don't like not being able to see!""nope. sorry buddy, gotta keep this a surprise.""You know, I'm trusting this whole thing less and less by the second.""...but you trust me, don't you?""Yeah... Yeah, I guess I do.""then there's nothing for you to be afraid of."In which the author sucks at descriptions so you get this random lil piece of dialogue that hopefully makes you curious enough to want to give the story a read. Also, uh, first story published on the Archive so there's that. Hopefully it does not sucketh.





	1. The Legend of Mount Ebott

Two years have passed since your little sister went missing and it certainly has taken its toll on you. As you gaze at your reflection in the dusty old mirror, you can clearly see just how unhealthy you look. Your (e/c) eyes are dull and lifeless with dark shadows hanging under them, your skin appears to be a few shades paler than it should be, and your (h/c) hair is tangled and sticking up in random places. Your chest hurts, as if a massive weight is just constantly pulling down on your heart. You suppose it's been this way for a long time now.

You'd lost your job last week, a price you were more than willing to pay if it meant getting away from your creepster of a boss, but now you were running low on cash. You already didn't have the money to pay this month's rent for your shitty little apartment and at this rate you weren't sure how you were going to feed yourself in the next couple of days.

Offhandedly, a part of you didn't really care. A part that had been forming and growing ever since you'd lost your sister. A part that truthfully just wanted to disappear.

You lived in a small town at the base of the infamous Mt. Ebott. It is said that the mountain is cursed, and those that climb it never return. You'd known the tale of Mt. Ebott since you were just a child, it was something that most parents wanted to drill into their children's minds in case they ever got the idea to climb the mountain.

But your parents weren't here anymore, and you were about to go do the very thing they'd always warned you against.

You didn't particularly have a death wish, but you had always been curious if there was any truth to the stories of Mt. Ebott. The legends say that there are monsters that reside under that mountain, and that they are the ones responsible for the disappearance of any human who dares to climb up there. You highly doubted that these monsters even existed, but what harm could come from checking? Especially now that you had nothing to lose. At least if there were some kind of horrible creatures waiting for you, you wouldn't be leaving anything behind.

Slowly exiting your bathroom, you pick up your phone and place it in your pocket. Then, with one last look at the run-down little hovel that you call a home, you make your way out of the apartment, leaving everything else behind.

-

As you arrive at the base of the mountain, you take a moment to survey your surroundings. The massive mountain looms over you and casts a shadow over the little town you came from. To your right there is a path that seemingly leads up the mountain. For there to be such a horrible fate awaiting those who climb up, it sure is easy to just follow the winding path as it stretches toward the top of Mt. Ebott.

After walking along the path for what seems like hours, you come across a little clearing surrounded by vines and various forms of shrubbery that leads into a large cave. You take notice of the hole in the center of the clearing and make sure to carefully step around it as you head toward the cave entrance.

As soon as you enter the dark cave, an overwhelming sense of dread comes over you. Suddenly your head is pounding, you're struggling to keep standing through the pain, and there's an aching tug at your chest seemingly trying to pull you into the hole you'd so carefully avoided. The last sound you hear before you pass out is a garbled and distorted voice that you can't understand.

-

You wake up in a place that you don't recognize. It's a pitch black empty space that seems to stretch on infinitely. You have to struggle to stand because of an intense pull that keeps dragging you down to the nonexistent-looking ground. When you finally get up on your feet, you cast your eyes in various directions trying to see something-  _anything_ in the darkness.

That's when you spot it, a figure approaching you in the distance. From here, you can just make out a spot of white from the moving black mass that's heading your way. As it gets closer, you're able to make out a face. The figure is somewhat skeletal in appearance, assumingly male with a white face and two dark holes for eyes. The holes are illuminated by little white lights that would seem to act as pupils. There is a crack leading from his right eye socket up towards his forehead and another from his left socket that trails down toward his mouth, which is stretched into a mildly unsettling smile. This guy is certainly scary looking, and his clothing reminds you a bit of some weirdly sophisticated monster of some kind in a horror movie. He's wearing a light beige turtleneck sweater and a long coat that reaches the floor and billows out into shadows at the bottom.

If the legends about Mt. Ebott are true, then perhaps he really  _is_ a monster! And if that's the case... well, you suppose you've lived a fairly good life. Maybe you'll see your sister again once this is over.

He reaches out a hand toward you, and you briefly have time to register that there is a hole in the center of his skeletal hand before you close your eyes and brace yourself for whatever pain you're about to experience. You're shaking, the morbid anticipation of what's to come coursing through your whole body. You're surprised when his hand gently comes to rest on your shoulder, daring to open your eyes and look up at him.

His smile has morphed into what looks like a worried frown and his... eyebrows? Are furrowed in what appears to be concern. He opens his mouth to speak, but all you hear is the same garbled static from before.

Seeming to realize this, the man tries again, this time speaking more slowly to counteract the static.

" _Are you alright young one? You're trembling."_

You're startled by the deep, proper voice that reaches your ears. He still sounds slightly distorted, but you can clearly make out what he said. Deciding that answering him would be in your best interest, you fumble for a response.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine... I just... You startled me is all."

He looks somewhat relieved, though the concern is still there, and his grip on your shoulder loosens just slightly.

_"I apologize for frightening you my dear. You see, I do not get many visitors here. You are the first person I have seen in a long time."_

Even though you'd been scared of him only seconds ago, something in his voice makes you sad. Thinking about it, it sounds like this poor guy may be trapped here.

"Forgive me for asking but, where are we? And who are you?"

His expression turns solemn and he carefully removes his hand from your shoulder.

_"We are currently in the Void- a space in which time does not exist, nor does anything else that resides within it. My name is W. D. Gaster and, as you may have surmised, I am trapped here."_

You had figured he was stuck here, but the confirmation didn't make your heart hurt any less for him.

"If you're stuck here, then how are you speaking to me?"

He seems reluctant to explain it to you, but you wait patiently.

" _I... called you here, in a way. The reason you lost consciousness is because I sensed your presence and attempted to reach out to you. I wasn't sure whether or not you would actually appear or be able to understand me, but here you are. As for your own wellbeing, do not fret. You will leave this place when you awaken and I have no intentions to harm you. Instead, I wished to offer you a warning."_

"A warning? What about?"

Gaster seems to relax at the clear indication that you're listening.

_"I would advise you to leave this mountain as soon as you can. I'm afraid it will be quite late by the time you wake up and you may have to leave in the morning, but you should wait no longer than that."_

"Why are you suggesting I leave so quickly? I'm not quite sure I understand."

He regards you with a tired smile, contemplating his next words.

" _I'm afraid nothing good ever comes from a human climbing this mountain."_

As soon as he says this, the world around you starts getting lighter and you feel like you're floating upwards.

"Uh... Gaster? What's-"

_"You are waking up (Y/n). Please, do consider my warning and stay safe. You are far too kind to endure such misfortunes."_

_-_

You wake up on the ground at the entrance to the cave. Just as Gaster had said, it's dark outside and stars are sparkling across the endless sky. You take a moment to admire them, pulling out your phone and snapping a picture before standing up and scanning for the pathway.

You know Gaster advised you to wait until morning to leave, but his warning had you feeling extremely unnerved. When you spot the path, you hastily make your way over toward it. You're so occupied with trying to get off the mountain that you don't notice the large vine at your feet until you trip over it and suddenly you're falling, closing your eyes and bracing yourself for an impact that doesn't come.

Surely you should have hit the ground by now, right? You open your eyes to take in your surroundings and are startled by the complete darkness encompassing you. It's not like the Void, and you're still falling. You can't even bring yourself to scream even though it seems like what you should be doing right about now. Above you, you can see a circle of dim light that keeps getting smaller by the second and you finally register what happened.

 _The hole._ You had completely forgotten about the large hole in the center of the clearing. You hadn't known how deep it was, nor were you inclined to find out, but in your haste to leave the mountain you must have fallen right in. Briefly, you wonder if this was what Gaster had been trying to warn you about. You find yourself wishing you'd listened to him as you keep plummeting downward at an alarmingly fast pace.

Your thoughts are racing through your head way too quickly, and you're brain still can't muster up a command to scream. You can feel your consciousness slipping once again and end up thinking that maybe it's for the best. At least this way, you won't see what's coming and you'll likely die without even knowing it.

The familiar darkness of the Void seeps into the edges of your vision. You close your eyes and allow it to welcome you in.

-

Upon finding yourself back in the Void, you notice that you're already standing up this time. Gaster stands just in front of you, immense guilt and worry present on his face.

_"I had forgotten about the possibility that you might fall. I should have warned you."_

"It isn't your fault Gaster. I should have listened when you told me to leave in the morning. I guess it's too late to regret my mistakes now, huh?"

A sad smile crosses his features.

_"No, I doubt there will be much time for regret when you wake up. You must be more careful dear, you could have gotten yourself killed."_

"Could have? You mean I'm not going to die? But there's no way I could survive a fall like that!"

You're completely and utterly confused. Does he really think you're going to be alive once you hit the bottom of that seemingly endless hole?

" _You may be hurt when you awaken, but you will still be alive. You'd be surprised at what the human body can endure."_

He sounds quite sure of himself. So if you haven't died, where are you going to end up? And how are you supposed to get back out of there? Your mind wanders to Gaster's current state. He is trapped in the Void with seemingly no way out, so how is it that you are able to enter and exit the Void? Will this place that you're falling to leave you in a similar situation to him with no clear way out?

You can't help but wonder if there's a way to help Gaster escape the Void. You'd like to ask him, but you don't get the chance before the telltale signs of you waking up start to pull you back into your body. It seems these questions will have to wait for another time. You manage a wave at Gaster before your vision is filled with a white light.

-

You wake up in excruciating pain. It's clear that some of your ribs are broken and you're unable to move your left leg from the knee down. When you glance down at your leg, you can see that it is also very clearly broken. Casting a look over the rest of your body, you see your left wrist in a very similar state.

Your lungs burn as you chuckle.

"Hehe, guess I'm  _all right_ now."

In spite of your situation, you just can't help but crack a joke. It keeps you from panicking.

It's extremely difficult to stand using only the right side of your body, but you manage to drag yourself off of the golden flowers you landed on. It hurts to move, but you still slowly make your way toward the doorway you can see in the distance. You aren't expecting to encounter anything living down here, but an irrational part of you still hopes that you'll find someone who can help you if you just keep moving forward.

All your thoughts are immediately interrupted as you get through the doorway because there, in a little patch of grass at the center of the room that's illuminated by a single ray of light, is a little golden flower.

And it has a face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> K so, prologue is outta the way! Hopefully it's not too bad and things will definitely start to get more interesting in the next chapter.


	2. Hope

To say you were slightly unnerved would have been a huge understatement. The flower trained its eyes on you as soon as you entered the room and you were contemplating how much you really wanted to keep going. In order to move any further, you would have to get past the flower. Even though it looked innocent enough with its patient smile as it seemingly waited on you to get closer, the fact still remained that it was a  _ **flower**_ with a freaking  _ **FACE!**_

Since there really wasn't anywhere else to go, you begrudgingly limped toward the small flower. Its eyes briefly flicked over the left side of your body when you were close enough for it to see you clearly and its innocent expression morphed into one of sheer disgust before quickly reverting back to it's original state. You couldn't really blame the poor thing for being freaked out; you figured you weren't the prettiest sight at the moment.

There was an awkward silence as the flower appeared to be contemplating his words. Just as you were about to just sidestep the damn thing and get on with your life, it finally decided to speak up.

"Hmm... I've never seen you before! That means you must be new, right? Howdy! I'm Flowey! Flowey the Flower!"

Flowey? Really? Ok. Whatever. He had a relatively high-pitched voice that you found mildly irritating, but you still offered him a small smile. He sounded just as innocent as he looked, so you just kind of figured you might as well give him a chance. Even if you were immensely creeped out and did not trust him in any way, shape, or form.

"Howdy Flowey, I'm (Y/n)."

You'd expected him to be at least somewhat amused at your returned greeting, but instead he just looked slightly annoyed. Still, he kept the sickly sweet cheeryness to his voice.

"Golly, you're in pretty rough shape."

You scoff.

"Yeah, that tends to happen when you fall down a giant hole. Listen, are you just gonna make observations and talk my ears off? Or do you intend to offer me a  _hand._ "

You held out your mangled wrist for emphasis, holding back a laugh as Flowey visibly grimaced. You could have sworn you heard him mumble something along the lines of, "Oh  _great._ Another  _comedian,"_ before he was beaming at you once again.

"Don't worry! I've got just the thing to help! I'll just need to take a look at your Soul so I can assess the damage!"

You felt a sharp tug at your chest and closed your eyes at the slightly painful sensation as the empty space in front of you suddenly glowed with a soft light. It felt like something from your chest was missing. You could only assume that it was because Flowey had taken out your Soul. That was what he'd said he needed to look at, right?

Flowey sucked in a harsh breath. The emptiness abruptly felt full again and the space around you dimmed once more. Surprised, you open your eyes and see that Flowey is shaking. His voice trembles a bit as he speaks.

"Y-You know what? I... I don't think there's anything I can do for you a-after all! Maybe you should just c-continue on ahead and... and maybe you'll find someone who can help! I... I have a feeling  _your_ Soul isn't something I should be m-messing with!"

Before you can even ask what he meant, Flowey disappears into the ground and you find yourself alone again. What was that all about? Is there something wrong with your Soul? You didn't get to see it because of how fast the whole ordeal was, and you didn't even know what a Soul was  _supposed_ to look like, but Flowey had seemed so sure of himself before he actually got a look at your Soul. What exactly changed his mind?

You didn't have time to dwell on it as another figure came into your field of vision from the opposite side of the room. It appeared to be some kind of... goat woman? She had leisurely walked into the room, but as soon as she spotted you her serene expression turned into worry and she hurried over to you.

It wasn't until she was right in front of you that you noticed how  _big_ she was. The top of your head came up to just above her elbow! She didn't give you the same sense of unease Flowey had, but you were still a bit intimidated.

"Good heavens my child, those are some truly horrid injuries! You must have gotten injured in the fall."

She knelt down to your level so she could look you in the eyes and gently rest her paw on your shoulder. You already liked her more than Flowey. She gave off a worried mother vibe and you found it oddly comforting. She'd already proven to be more concerned about you than anyone had been for the past two years and you only  _just_ met her!

"My name is Toriel. I am the caretaker of the Ruins. We are quite fortunate that I decided to take a walk this morning, otherwise I may not have found you in time!"

Morning? How long had you been out after the fall?

"Hello Toriel, my name is (Y/n)! It's nice to meet you."

You felt like a kid trying to act respectful toward an adult. Toriel smiled at you tenderly, raising her paw off your shoulder to gently tousle your hair.

"It has been quite a while since someone has fallen down here. I honestly wasn't expecting to find anyone. You see, I frequently check this area to see if any humans have fallen down. Usually there is no one here, but I like to be safe just in case."

She pauses to move her paw back to your shoulder.

"It seems like today my habits have payed off."

Seeming to remember why she had been so alarmed when she saw you, Toriel returns her attention back to your injuries.

"It appears you have some broken bones, young one, am I correct?"

You show her your broken wrist and gesture to your leg with your good hand.

"I'm afraid so. That fall really did a number on me."

She furrows her eyebrows in thought

"In the past, the humans that fell down here were not so severely injured. I wonder what could have caused such grievous wounds..."

"Well,"

You shoot her a wry smile.

"I fell into the hole because I tripped on a vine. Seems like mother nature wasn't willing to  _cut_ me a  _break._ "

Your puns seem to have caught Toriel off guard. She slaps a paw to her mouth to stifle her surprised laughter before attempting to school her face into a stern expression.

"Now (Y/n), you shouldn't joke about your injuries like that."

Her scolding is contradicted by the small giggles still slipping passed her paw.

"Sorry about that Toriel, I just couldn't  _holed_ it in!"

She can't help herself this time. Her loud, melodic laughter rings throughout the room. When she finally manages to calm down, she fixes you with a soft expression.

"In all seriousness, you need to have those wounds treated. Would you mind if I healed them for you?"

"Can you do that? If so, that'd be really cool!"

She chuckles at your enthusiasm

"Of course my child. Monsters are capable of using magic for all sorts of things!"

That made you pause. Monsters? Magic? No way. The legends really were true! You weren't sure how you hadn't yet pieced together that a talking flower and a bipedal goat woman could only be one thing. I mean, hello? They weren't human, but they were just as sentient as anyone else you'd ever met. And if that was the case, then you had to be right about Gaster being a monster as well!

Honestly, this was all pretty cool. You had never actually believed that there could be such a thing as monsters, but you were being proven wrong in the best way. Finding out that monsters exist by getting to meet them for yourself was immensely awesome for you.

Realizing you had yet to give Toriel a solid answer, you nod your head at her to show your acceptance since you aren't too sure you can form a cohesive sentence yet. Flowey said that he had just the thing to help you earlier, and you were wondering if he was talking about healing magic. That would explain why he had wanted to see your Soul, right? So he could figure out how much healing he needed to do?

At least, that would have made sense if Toriel hadn't started healing you by simply hovering her paws over the area where your Soul sat in your chest. A gentle green light emanated from her paws and a warm feeling washed over your whole body. You watched in fascination as your leg and wrist seemed to just put themselves back together and the cuts on your skin sealed themselves closed. It didn't hurt at all! You had been expecting some kind of pain to come along with this healing process, but instead it kind of felt like you were wrapped up in a warm hug.

Toriel slowly pulled her paws away from you, standing up and gently taking hold of your previously injured wrist.

"Are you feeling better, my child?"

"Much better. Thank you so much, Toriel!"

There was still something bothering you.

"Sorry for asking but, I thought you needed to see my Soul before you could heal me. Didn't you need to see what the damage was?"

A bright blush dusts Toriel's cheeks, leaving you even more confused.

"Oh my, no! Where ever did you get that idea, my child?"

Now you feel really embarrassed. It sounds like you may have just brushed upon a taboo subject or something.

"Sorry Toriel, I don't really understand how Souls work... I only just found out about them."

She seems to relax just a bit.

"I understand. It seems as though humans may have forgotten about them. Allow me to explain them to you as we walk."

She starts heading back the way she entered the room from, a paw carefully placed on your back to guide you.

"You see, (Y/N), Souls are very delicate and precious things. We do not bring them out unless we are in battle, or we are in an... intimate situation."

Oh.  _OH._

Toriel continues to guide you through the next few rooms, stopping when you come across a dummy. She moves to stand next to it before continuing her explanation.

"During a battle, the Soul is brought up to just under the surface of your chest. It is enough to see a little white circle of light, but not to see the distinct shape and color of the Soul. Only human Souls come in different colors, while all monster Souls are white and appear upside-down in comparison to a human's."

She gestures to the dummy beside her.

"Although it is unlikely that a monster will attack you while living in the Underground, it is still important that you know how to resolve the situation should you end up in a fight. As I already explained, your Soul will be brought to just under the surface of your chest. Do not worry! It is completely painless and the most you should feel is a light tug at your Soul. The reason for this is so that both you and the monster you are fighting can see each other's HP so that you can avoid hurting someone too badly. A monster will usually only attack because they are curious. If you find yourself in a fight, strike up a friendly conversation! We do not want to hurt anyone! Often times, the monster will no longer wish to fight you and instead wish to become friends. In the event that a monster is a little  _too_ curious, I will come to resolve the conflict. Why don't you practice on Mr. Dummy?"

She wants you to talk... to a dummy? Alright. To be fair, probably not the weirdest thing that's happened to you since you fell. She's been very kind to you, so you might as well indulge her. You carefully approach the dummy.

"Uhh... Hey there, Mr.-"

You feel a slight tugging at your chest and.can see the white light from your Soul. You're surprised to see the same light coming from the dummy. That thing has a  _Soul?!_ You're not even gonna question it. You just found out monsters existed, and the three you've met have all been different types. You're willing to believe that  _anything_ could be a monster. A little unsure of yourself, you glance over at Toriel. She smiles encouragingly at you and nods toward the dummy. You return your attention to the dummy and notice a few little letters and numbers floating above it. Was that the HP? You look a little closer. It reads:  **Dummy - HP: 0.** Zero? HP stood for health, right? Was it even alive if- Ok, nope. Nada. Not questioning it. Instead, you focus on how adorable the dummy was. It kind of looked like a stuffed doll rather than a basic clothes dummy. Since you have no idea what to say to this dummy, you decide to just say the first line that pops into your head.

"Hey... Uh, Mr. Dummy? Are you a banana? Because I find you  _apeeling!_ "

You wink at the dummy. You don't get a response, which is kind of what you were expecting, but the dummy starts floating upwards and seemingly disappears into the ceiling. You feel your Soul fall back into place, so does that mean you won?

Glancing at Toriel, you notice that she is once again trying very hard not to laugh. You smile innocently at her.

"What? The dummy seemed like he was into me. I was just  _ceiling_ the deal."

For the second time in the span of a few minutes, you've made her burst out laughing. You're quite proud of yourself, and happy that someone seems to appreciate your sense of humor. It never was all that popular where you lived. You find yourself chuckling along with her.

After you've both calmed down, you realize you hadn't checked your own HP during the battle.

"Hey, Toriel? Did you happen to catch what my HP was."

She ponders to herself for a moment.

"I'm afraid I didn't look. The next time you get in a fight, simply look above you! You should be able to see your HP there. Now, to complete my earlier explanation about Souls, the way your Soul appears in battle is not the way it truly looks. You see it that way in battle to preserve the intimacy of a Soul's true appearance. All Souls are heart-shaped and usually the only ones to ever truly see a Soul are its owner, its owner's Soul mate or significant other, and occasionally a doctor for medical reasons."

She pauses to collect her words.

"Some monsters who are more knowledgeable about Souls would be able to tell a great many things from a person's Soul if they should ever see it. Dr. Alphys, the royal scientist, is a good example of a monster that could see these extra details. She is the one most people go to for Soul check-ups, as she is the only doctor and the only person to have such a deep understanding of Souls, but even she would have to run tests in order to actually get those details. By analyzing someone's Soul, she could even tell if someone has a soul mate and who they are. Currently it is unknown if any monster might be able to tell these things by just seeing the Soul while it is outside of the body, though it is possible. And of course, the Soul is always at least under the surface of the chest unless it is brought out for a check-up, someone is in need of Soul healing, or someone is in an intimate situation."

You absorb this information carefully. You start to feel a bit creeped out by the fact that Flowey had tried to look at your Soul. It was clear that you hadn't needed any Soul healing since Toriel hadn't needed to see it, which meant that whatever Flowey had been trying to do couldn't have been good. You decide not to mention it and simply follow Toriel to the next room.

Or at least, you would have if she hadn't abruptly turned to face you.

"It occurred to me that you may not wish to wait for another battle in order to see your HP. If you would rather not wait, perhaps we could enter a battle just long enough for you to see. Of course, we do nat actually have to fight each other."

You consider it for a moment and decide that you really would like to know what your HP was.

"That would actually be really nice, Toriel. Thank you!"

She smiles gently at you and you feel the familiar slight tugging from earlier. Instinctually, your eyes travel just above her head to read he stats.  **Toriel - HP: 440.**

Damn, that was a pretty high number. You're about to convey your surprise to Toriel when you notice the absolutely  _devastated_ look on her face and the battle abruptly ends.

"(Y/n), my dear child... I had no idea. I am so terribly sorry."

"What are you sorry for? Is something wrong?"

She puts on a comforting smile, though whether it's meant to comfort you or her, you aren't sure.

"I am alright dear one, but... your HP is extremely low."

You didn't think much of it, it seemed perfectly natural for humans to have low HP compared to monsters.

"I... don't understand. Is that a bad thing?"

Toriel's smile turns sad.

"(Y/n), HP is an acronym. It stands for HoPe. The more that you love life and the more that you value it, the higher your HP is. And yours... Your HP is only 1. If you were to get hit at all during a fight, even by a monster's weakest attack, you would most likely die."

One... You had one HP. You supposed it made sense. Life had never been kind to you, and in the past two years, you'd stopped caring. It made you feel bad that Toriel was hurting for you, but there wasn't much you could do. It seemed like happiness wasn't enough to bring up HP, considering you were happier now than you'd been since the day your sister was born, so you weren't sure that number would ever change. You decided to try and cheer her up just a little bit.

"Hey... I was able to survive the fall down here, right? I should be able to survive anything else that comes my way!"

Toriel shakes her head, planting her paw on your shoulder.

"I'm afraid that HP damage and physical damage are two different things. HP damage is a direct hit to your Soul, it has nothing to do with your body."

You felt a tremor race up your spine. So that meant... you cared so little for life that your soul wasn't strong enough to take any damage. A single blow would likely kill you and there was nothing you could do about it. Knowing how weak you were filled you with fear.

"You are going to have to be extremely careful, (Y/n). Do not be afraid though, my child, I will be there to protect you."

You give Toriel a soft smile, trying to hide your oncoming panic. You just had to believe that she was true to her word and that she wouldn't let anything harm you. You may have stopped caring before you fell, but now that you were down here, you really didn't want to die. There was a strange longing in your Soul, as if it was searching for something. Something you would only be able to find down here if you lived long enough to reach it. And once you had it, you had a feeling you wouldn't want to be forced to let go.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty so, that's chapter 2! Hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Want to ask any questions and maybe see some art? Check out my Tumblr: https://indigosyr.tumblr.com


	3. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (N/n) means nickname, just so you know :)

You continued to follow Toriel through the rest of the Ruins. You had a few encounters with some monsters here and there, but as soon as they saw your HP they would feel bad and immediately try to befriend you. Along the way, you had befriended most of the monsters in the Ruins. You even bought a doughnut from some spiders and made friends with a ghost named Napstablook! Toriel was incredibly proud of you for handling each situation like she'd taught you and she complimented you multiple times on your conversation skills. Before long, you found yourself standing in front of a cozy-looking little house with a large, leafless tree in front of it. The sight of it all made you smile. Toriel noticed you looking at the tree and moved to stand beside it.

"I'm not sure why, but every time a leaf grows on this tree... it immediately falls off. That is why there are all of these red leaves surrounding the base of the tree."

You nodded at the explanation. It kind of made sense that the tree would be unable to grow leaves since there was no sunlight here, but at the same time, you wondered how the tree had been able to grow at all. You didn't think on it very long before you noticed something else at the base of the tree. It looked a bit like a glowing, yellow, four-pointed star. When Toriel moved to stand in front of the door to what you assumed was her house, you carefully crouched down to get a closer look at the star. For some reason, you felt the urge to touch it.

Reaching out your hand to touch the star, you were surprised when it vanished as soon as your fingers brushed against it. You were confused, but you still felt like you'd accomplished something, which was odd because that whole endeavor was seemingly pointless. You decided to shrug it off for now. You expected Toriel to be getting impatient with you by now, but when you looked up, she was just watching you with the same motherly gentleness on her face. You stood up to go join her and she opened the door, gesturing for you to walk inside.

As you entered the house, you took in the warm colors and comfortable atmosphere. It seemed like just the kind of place Toriel would call home. Toriel shut the door behind you both and stood by your side.

"Welcome home, my child! Please follow me, I will show you where you will be staying."

She seemed to suddenly remember something important.

"Oh, silly me! I completely forgot to ask if you even wanted to stay here! You do not have to make a decision just yet. There is actually someone I would like you to meet before you decide, as you would have to share a room with them. I think I hear them in the living room."

She lead you through a short hallway to your left. Coming out of the other side, there was a sitting area around a fireplace that consisted of one chair and one couch. There was a bookcase next to the fireplace and across the room from all of that was a lovely dining table. Toriel guided you over toward the sitting area so you could see the front of the couch. When you saw the figure laying on the couch reading a book about snails, you thought you might cry.

There, in her same adorable little blue and pink striped sweater, was Frisk. The little sister you thought you'd lost was right in front of you. After two years of worrying and hoping she was alive, you finally found her. Things seemed to be looking up for you since the moment you fell and they just got a whole lot better. Toriel noticed your odd shift in behavior, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she stepped forward and lightly tapped Frisk on the shoulder.

"My child, there is someone I would like you to meet. I have found another human who might be staying with us."

Frisk lifted her narrow eyes up from her book and settled them on you. A look of recognition quickly crossed her face and suddenly you were knocked to the floor as Frisk launched herself at you and wrapped her arms around your neck. You hugged her close to you and let out a breathless laugh as she nuzzled into your neck and a few traitorous tears finally made their way down your cheeks.

"Oh, Frisk...  I thought I'd never see you again!"

Just like she always did, Frisk knows that you're crying. She pulls away from you to wipe the tears off your face and sign a response.

'Don't cry (N/n)! I'm alright, see? And I'm here now, aren't I?'

She beamed at you, and you shakily raised a hand to ruffle her hair.

"Yeah... I guess you are, kiddo."

Toriel startles you when she clears her throat. You had honestly forgotten she was there, which made you feel kinda bad.

"It would seem that the two of you already know each other! This is wonderful news! Truthfully, it makes this entire ordeal so much easier. Why don't I make us all something to eat and we can sit down and catch up."

You stand up with Frisk still in your arms, thanking Toriel and making your way over to the dining table. You set Frisk down in one of the chairs and take a seat across from her, paying close attention as she began to recount what happened since the day she disappeared. Climbing the mountain because she was curious, accidentally falling into the Underground, meeting and befriending all of the monsters (although she left out most names and details, claiming she wanted you to meet them for yourself), and finally encountering the king. She explained that she managed to convince the king not to enter a battle with her at all, offering to stay in the Underground because someone would have to die in order to cross the barrier. She had been living with Toriel ever since, frequently going out to visit all of her other friends. At least you knew why she hadn't come home. You completely understood not wanting to take someone's life, and you couldn't imagine how difficult the choice had been for her to stay here and never see you again. You also knew that you wouldn't be able to leave the Underground either. You weren't willing to kill anyone to go free, and you'd been given more down here than you'd ever had on the Surface, so you honestly didn't mind staying here. Although, you still wished there was a way to free the monsters.

Toriel had come back about half way through Frisk's story. She was carrying a pie, which smelled and tasted like literal heaven, and she also seemed interested in what Frisk was signing. That answered another question for you. It seemed that Toriel did understand sign language, which you were happy about since it meant you wouldn't have to translate. After Frisk was finished telling her story and you'd all had a slice of pie, Toriel looked at you and both with a joyful smile on her face.

"I hope you do not mind me asking, but how is it that you and Frisk know each other?"

"Frisk is my little sister. I got really emotional when I saw her because, after she fell, I didn't know what happened to her. Even though I didn't want to believe it, I had actually assumed she was dead."

A sad expression briefly flits across your face before becoming a happy one.

"If she had to be anywhere for the two years she was gone, I'm glad it was here. You've all been very kind to Frisk. I can't express how much that means to me."

Toriel smiles once again, placing her paw on your forearm.

"It is good to finally know Frisk's gender. She never told us what it was, and since we could not tell and did not want to offend her, we simply referred to Frisk as 'them'."

You can't help but smile to yourself. Monsters seemed to be to good for this world. In a way, you thought maybe it was for the best that monsters were down here. Sure, them being trapped and unable to leave didn't really sound positive in any way, but considering what the Surface was like... Well, you knew how cruel people could be. The monsters didn't deserve to have to deal with that.

Eventually, Toriel stands up from the table and places her paws on you and Frisk's shoulders.

"I believe it is time for you both to go to bed."

She seems to remember something.

"Oh! (Y/n), I forgot to ask how old you are. I know that Frisk is 11, but you have not told me your age."

Oh. You did forget to mention that.

"I'm 23."

She looks surprised.

"And to think, all this time I had been treating you as if you were a child! I am terribly sorry about that, it's just... You are so small compared to me. I had forgotten that most humans were much smaller than monsters."

"Actually... I really didn't mind. It was kind of... nice."

Toriel lets out a soft chuckle.

"In that case, may I continue calling you 'my child'?"

You smile.

"Only if I'm allowed to call you 'Mom'!"

She seems to be caught off guard. Raising a paw to her mouth, she looks at you with watery eyes. Somehow, you can tell that what you just said made her happy.

"If... If that would make you happy. You may call me whatever you'd like! Frisk already refers to me as her mother, but I was not expecting the same from you. It is not an unwelcome surprise by any means, of course."

Frisk smiled at both of you, happy that you got along so well, before yawning and heading off to her room. She gestured for you to follow and Toriel bid you both goodnight as you followed Frisk to the opposite side of the house.

Frisk opened the door to a cute bedroom with two twin beds, a toy chest, a dresser, a floor lamp, and a bookcase.  It was clearly a kid's room, but you didn't really mind. The whole room had an orange theme to it that made it seem warm and inviting. On the bookshelf, you could see a picture of two children you didn't recognize. One of them was a goat monster, like Toriel, and one of them was a human. The human mildly resembled Frisk, but they wore a green sweater with a single yellow stripe across the middle and their hair was a more reddish brown.

You felt a pang in what you now recognized to be your Soul. You figured that the little goat monster was Toriel's biological child, and the human had likely been adopted into the family like you and Frisk had. That would explain Toriel's motherly nature. She hadn't mentioned these children, so you could only assume the worst. Your Soul hurt for Toriel's apparent loss, even though you had never met those children. Whatever happened to them, they couldn't have deserved it. Judging by the state of this room, they had still been young when they died.

You felt a sharp tug at your Soul, similar to the one you'd felt before you fell, only this one wasn't an ache of sadness for the children. This one felt like it was trying to drag you back toward the middle of the house, like it was reaching out to something you weren't aware of. Frisk grabbed at your arm, noticing you seemed to be zoned out, and led you over to one of the beds. She motioned for you to lie down, and you did as she instructed, deciding to ignore that weird tugging for now and just try to get some sleep.

Frisk walked over to the other bed, signing a quick, 'goodnight,' before snuggling up under the covers. Frisk drifted off almost immediately. You could hear her tiny snores drifting across the room. You had a bit more difficulty getting to sleep, because that tugging was starting to  _hurt._ You were getting frustrated because you didn't know what was wrong. Now that you knew about your Soul, you were able to recognize which feelings came from there and which feelings came from your body. Feelings in your souls were much more intense, and with it hurting like this, you were kind of at a loss for what to do. That is, until you suddenly felt drowsy and, almost immediately, fell asleep.

You quickly realized how you'd fallen asleep so quickly when you found yourself in the void.

"Gaster, are you there?"

Just as you said it, he materialized in front of you.

"I am here, (Y/n). I was hoping that this would work."

You raised an eyebrow at him, confused. He chuckles at your expression.

"I noticed that you were having trouble sleeping. I brought you here so that your body could rest."

Oh. Well, that was nice of him.

"Thanks, G. I was  _dead_ tired."

Heh. Cause he's a skeleton (you think). He rolls his eye-lights at you, but by the smile on his face, you can see he's amused. He raises a... huh? How. He's a skeleton, he doesn't even have eyebrows. It looks like the bone of his skull is malleable so he can pull facial expressions. Well, monsters are magic so, you guess they don't really have to fit in with your logic. He raises a bone brow at you.

"...G? Is that what you intend to call me?"

"Yup! Cause sometimes, I'm not gonna feel like saying your whole name."

He shakes his head, amused smile still in place.

"Whatever makes you happy, my dear."

Your Soul gives another one of those annoyingly sharp tugs, and you can't help but make a small noise of discomfort as you clutch a hand over your chest.

"...Your Soul is bothering you?"

Gaster sounds thoughtful, like he's already deciphering the possibilities of why your Soul is bugging you.

"Yeah, it's like this... weird tugging. It kinda happens randomly and sometimes it's not that bad, but right now it  _hurts._ "

He frowns in concentration, trying to figure out what might be causing your problem. You can see his eye sockets widen for just a second, but he shakes his head and goes back to thinking.

"I'm afraid I don't know what's causing it. I don't have the equipment to run any tests and, without that, I cannot be certain of any diagnosis. I would recommend you pay a visit to Dr. Alphys at some point. She may be able to tell you what's going on. Alphys is a friend of Frisk's, so Frisk could introduce you to her."

You nod and decide to talk about something else while you're here.

"So, I really don't know all that much about you. Since you're my friend, I feel like I should get to know you a little better. I know you're trapped in the void right now, but... do you have any family?"

His smile turns just a bit sad, and you almost regret asking, but his voice takes on a note of pride as he answers you.

"I have two sons. I have a feeling that you would get along well with both of them. Especially my older son, his sense of humor is very similar to yours. Perhaps you will meet them someday."

You smile at that.

"They sound great, I'd love to meet them. This may be kind of weird but... Can I ask...? Uh, how did you...?"

He laughs at your flustered state.

"Well, I didn't have a soulmate, and I never had a romantic partner in general. I was usually too busy for that sort of thing, and skeleton monsters are very uncommon, but I still wanted a family..."

He raises one of his hands, pointing to the hole in the middle with his other hand.

"I was the last royal scientist before Dr. Alphys, and I made my two sons from my own being. Monsters are made of mostly magic, so it is possible to create offspring without a partner. Even though they were made from a part of me, they are their own individuals. My magic is somewhat tethered to them, but they are completely capable of using their magic without me."

His pupils change into irises. The left one is blue, and the right one is orange. They stay that way for a short while, before flickering back to white.

"It is difficult to maintain my magic in here, but the colors of my sons' magic reflect the colors of my eyes. In a sense, it is my strongest link to them. If either of them were to die, I would feel it, and the eye that is on the same side they were made from would no longer be able to change color."

Wow. That was really cool! Your facial expression must have told Gaster exactly what you were thinking, because he laughed easily and ruffled your hair.

"I think it's time I let you get some real sleep. Goodnight, (Y/n)."

Before you can say anything in return, darkness seeps into your vision and you're out cold for the rest of the night in a dreamless sleep. At least for now, your Soul seems to be content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what is it that your Soul is trying to tell you?
> 
> Hopefully you aren't bothered by the fact that Frisk is a girl in this story! I kind of did that so my writing would flow better and it also is gonna tie into the plot. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Want to ask any questions and maybe see some art at some point? Check out my Tumblr: https://indigosyr.tumblr.com


	4. A New Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but if it is I'm sorry. I did want to get something out for you guys so, here ya go!

You're awoken the next morning by an annoyed little ball of Frisk sitting on your stomach and repeatedly poking you in the face. You crack your eyes open, grumbling as you gently swatted her hand away. She rolls off of you and stands patiently by your bed, staring at you and crossing her arms as an indicator for you to get up. You were  _not_ a morning person by any means. Not that you knew what time it was, but you weren't really a 'waking up' person in general. You enjoyed your sleep. But Frisk wasn't going to stop staring you down until you dragged yourself out of bed, so you slowly sat up, running a hand down your face. You shifted your eyes over to Frisk, only to see her beaming at you and practically bouncing with excitement.

"What's got you so energized this morning, Frisk?"

You're almost concerned she might actually explode.

'I'm making you come with me to meet more of my friends today!'

You wonder just how many friends that entails. You'd be okay with maybe one or two, but too many new people in one day doesn't sound all that fun. You're a little awkward when it comes to interacting with people you don't know, so it's best for you to meet Frisk's friends a few at a time. Considering she's befriended the entire Underground, you had your worries about today's adventure.

She seemed to recognize your thought process, letting out a tiny giggle and tugging on your arm until you were standing.

'Don't worry, we're only going to meet two people today!'

You relaxed considerably at that. You could handle two people. Probably.

Frisk pretty much dragged you to the living room, where Toriel was sitting by the fireplace and reading a book.

"Good morning, my dear children! Is there something you need?"

Frisk ran over to give Toriel a hug before signing her response.

'Actually, Mom... I was wondering if I could take (Y/n) outside to meet a couple of our friends.'

Toriel frowned to herself for a moment, seeming to think it over before nodding and smiling at Frisk.

"Certainly you may, Frisk. Allow me to open the door for you."

With that, Toriel walked toward the middle of the house and beckoned for you both to follow. She led you down the staircase you had been somewhat curious about since you got here and continued down a long hallway. The hallway was a lot colder than the rest of the house, but it wasn't too bad.

Eventually, you were met with a large door bearing the same symbol you had seen on Toriel's dress. It was a circle with angel wings and three triangles underneath it. Frisk had told you what it meant, but you kind of already forgot.

Toriel was just about to open the door when her ears perked up a bit and she turned to regard Frisk curiously.

"Are you sure today is a good day to be showing (Y/n) part of the Underground? Didn't you have a sleepover scheduled with-"

Tories mouth snapped shut as Frisk interrupted her with an urgent noise. Frisk quickly walked over to Toriel, motioning her to kneel down so that Frisk could whisper something to her. A look of understanding dawned on Toriel's face. She nodded at Frisk with a slightly mischievous smile before standing back up and ruffling Frisk's hair.

Frisk was selectively mute, which meant she  _could_ speak, but she preferred not to. Seeing as to how she was trying to hide something from you, it didn't surprise you that she would speak to Toriel. You would have just been able to read it if she had used sign language.

Toriel faced you with the most innocent smile on her face.

"It appears that Frisk does not want me to spoil any secrets, though I should inform you that she had a sleepover planned with some of her friends today, so you may have to return home alone. Please pay attention to where you are going! I wouldn't want you getting lost on the way home."

You weren't sure you liked the idea of being left alone to wander back home from a place you were unfamiliar with, but you couldn't ask Frisk to change her pre-made plans just because you'd suddenly fallen back into her life. If you had to walk home by yourself, then so be it! You were an adult. You could handle this... right?

"I'll be careful Toriel, I promise."

She was pleased with your response, but she wasn't quite done mothering before she allowed you out into the rest of the Underground.

"Do call me if anything changes or you need help, I will always be here. That reminds me, do you have a cell phone? If so, I would like to put my number in there so that you are capable of calling me without using Frisk's. Also, do you have any warmer clothes? You may need them once you're outside."

You smiled at her nervously. Your current outfit consisted of a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and your favorite sneakers. It was the middle of summer and the weather had been almost unbearably hot on the surface, not to mention that you weren't expecting to end up down here, so you hadn't thought to pack anything.

"I do have a phone, but I haven't had the chance to check and see if it broke after the fall. My phone was the only thing I brought with me, so I don't actually have any other clothes."

Toriel immediately looked more worried. She clearly didn't like the idea of you not having anything but the clothes on your back and the possibly broken phone in your pocket. She pulled out her cell phone, which was an ancient looking thing, and you were surprised to see it dispense gold coins into her palm from a slot at the bottom of the phone. She grabbed your arm and pulled it closer to her, gently pressing the coins into your hand and closing it into a fist before letting go of you entirely. Your eyes scanned over the shiny coins for a moment. It looked like a  _lot_ of money.

"I've just given you 200 gold. That should be more than enough to buy whatever you might need. Frisk can take you by a shop if you have the urge to buy anything."

"Toriel, I really shouldn't take your money-"

She held up a hand to silence you.

"(Y/n), you are my child now. As your mother  I am more than happy to provide for you, so do not ever fret about accepting anything from me."

You could feel your soul swelling with warmth. Even though you'd only just met Toriel yesterday, you already meant so much to her, and she meant just as much to you. You carefully placed the coins in your pocket before throwing your arms around her in an appreciative hug, which she immediately returned.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Of course, dear."

You released each other with pleasant smiles on your faces. Frisk grabbed onto your hand and squeezed, mirroring your smile after the little moment. Toriel finally moved to push open the giant doors, surprising you with how effortlessly she managed to get them open. You figured those doors were  _extremely_ heavy. Then again, Toriel was a monster, which could explain her incredible strength.  As soon as the doors were open, already-cold hallway dropped several degrees in temperature. You could see why when you and Frisk walked forward to stand next to Toriel.

It was snowing outside. Not just a little bit either, it looked to be an entire wintery forest out there. That was not going to be fun to walk through in your outfit, you were already getting colder. Frisk started tugging on your hand, eager to show you around, but you remembered that you still needed to check if your phone still worked.

With the hand that Frisk wasn't holding, you dug your phone out of your pocket to inspect it. The screen was cracked pretty badly, but miraculously, it still worked. You quickly got Toriel's number before Frisk finally managed to drag you out the door. Toriel's gentle laughter echoed after you as she waved and carefully closed the door.

Somehow, the Ruins being closed off only made you feel colder and you were much more inclined to follow Frisk as she pulled you along the icy path ahead. She knew where she was going, right? Maybe she'd take you someplace warmer. The forest around you was beautiful in an oddly haunting way. The wind howled through the tall trees, bringing with it an uneasy anticipation. It felt like you were being watched; there could easily be something hiding in the woods, but Frisk didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

The two of you walked over a large branch that looked like it would have been extremely heavy, if not for the fact that it had been smashed to pieces somehow. You wondered what kind of creature was capable of doing that. Considering Toriel's strength, it wasn't too farfetched to assume that all monsters might be just as strong. If you hadn't already learned about the kind nature of monsters, that idea would have worried you much more than it did. For the time being, it was just another interesting feature to add to the list.

Just as you were starting to settle down, your uneasiness skyrocketed. The thought that someone was watching you leapt to the front of your mind as you could swear you heard an extra set of footprints following yours and Frisk's. You pulled Frisk to a stop, shakily craning your neck to search your surroundings. You still couldn't see anything, and the sound stopped as soon as you did, but you  _knew_ something was there.

After a moment of this, Frisk finally caught on to what you were thinking. She didn't look paranoid though, only annoyed with a small hint of amusement. She let go of your hand, signaling you to stay put and don't move and walked off somewhere behind you. You wanted to turn and follow her, or even just look around so you could see where she went, but when Frisk gave you directions you found it was usually better to assume she meant everything in the most literal of senses, so you stood there, facing the path ahead of you, not moving a muscle.

You were starting to get concerned after a while until you heard a loud thud from the direction Frisk wandered off in. You were about to forget her little order and sprint after her, but you froze in place upon hearing her laughter, followed by a much deeper chuckle. So there  _was_ someone back there! Clearly Frisk knew them though, right? Otherwise she wouldn't have just gone off to find them like that. You had half a mind to tell whoever this was off for scaring the ever loving shit out of you.

Finally, you heard Frisk and her little buddy walking up behind you. They'd both gotten really quiet, and you realized with a huff that the reason Frisk wanted you to stay put was so she could surprise you with this... guy? You were basing that on the laugh you heard earlier, because it seemed that this particular person had a fairly deep voice. Frisk popped around in front of you, huge grin on her face as she started tugging on your arm to turn you around. Even though you'd braced yourself to meet all kinds of new people out here, you weren't quite ready for what you saw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the really late update, but I have been swamped lately with so much going on. I'll try to get chapters out more often but, until some things are settled I'm not sure how quickly they'll be coming out. Still, I hope you enjoyed this one! Even though I'm sure all of you already know who you're about to meet ;)


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